Calculating traffic flow changes due to traffic events

Abstract

A method for calculating traffic flow changes includes detecting a traffic event. The method further includes determining an affected area of the traffic event and determining an investigation area based on the affected area. The method further includes selecting at least one vehicle located within the investigation area and calculating a change in traffic flow due to the traffic event based on a comparison of a predicted traffic flow with a current traffic flow, wherein the current traffic flow is based on information received from the at least one vehicle. The method further includes updating the affected area based on the change in traffic flow and calculating an updated change in traffic flow based on the updated affected area when the updated affected area is larger than a predetermined threshold area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for calculating traffic flow changes, the method comprising:
 detecting a traffic event; 
 determining an affected area of the traffic event; 
 determining an investigation area based on the affected area; 
 selecting at least one vehicle located within the investigation area; 
 calculating a change in traffic flow due to the traffic event based on a comparison of a predicted traffic flow with a current traffic flow, wherein the current traffic flow is based on information received from the at least one vehicle; 
 updating the affected area based on the change in traffic flow; and 
 calculating an updated change in traffic flow based on the updated affected area when the updated affected area is larger than a predetermined threshold area. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting at least one vehicle further includes predicting a number of road segments on which vehicles located within the investigation area are to travel. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one vehicle further includes calculating a driving behavior of vehicles located in the investigation area. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a quantity of vehicles located within the investigation area to select. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the quantity of vehicles includes determining at least one of an event type of the traffic event or an event severity of the traffic event. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting data values from the at least one vehicle, wherein the data values include location information of the at least one vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein updating the affected area further includes predicting a propagation of the traffic event. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the traffic event includes detecting a plurality of concurrent traffic events. 
     
     
       9. A method for calculating traffic flow changes, the method comprising:
 detecting a first traffic event and a second traffic event, wherein the first traffic event and the second traffic event occur contemporaneously; 
 calculating a first affected area of the first traffic event and a second affected area of the second traffic event; 
 determining an area of overlap where the first affected area overlaps with the second affected area; 
 comparing the area of overlap with a threshold area; and 
 when the area of overlap is greater than the threshold area, determining a combined affected area based on the first affected area and the second affected area. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the threshold area is any amount greater than zero. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the threshold area includes at least one road segment. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first affected area has a first shape; and 
 the combined affected area has a second shape that is different than the first shape. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the combined affected area is a circle centered at a centroid calculated from a first center of the first affected area and from a second center of the second affected area. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the circle has a radius that covers all of the first affected area and all of the second affected area. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining an investigation area based on the combined affected area; 
 selecting at least one vehicle located within the investigation area; and 
 calculating a change in traffic flow due to the first and second traffic events based on a comparison of a predicted traffic flow and a current traffic flow, wherein the current traffic flow is based on information received from the at least one vehicle. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 updating the combined affected area based on the change in traffic flow; and 
 calculating an updated change in traffic flow based on the updated combined affected area when the updated combined affected area is larger than an updated threshold area. 
 
     
     
       17. A system for calculating traffic flow changes, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, 
 wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: 
 detecting a first traffic event and a second traffic event, wherein the first traffic event and the second traffic event occur contemporaneously; 
 determining a combined affected area of the first traffic event and the second traffic event; 
 determining an investigation area based on the combined affected area; 
 selecting at least one vehicle located within the investigation area; 
 calculating a change in traffic flow due to the first and second traffic events based on a comparison of a predicted traffic flow and a current traffic flow, wherein the current traffic flow is based on information received from the at least one vehicle; 
 updating the combined affected area based on the change in traffic flow; and 
 calculating an updated change in traffic flow based on the updated combined affected area when the updated combined affected area is larger than a predetermined threshold area. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein selecting at least one vehicle within the investigation area further includes predicting a number of road segments on which vehicles located within the investigation area are to travel. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein selecting at least one vehicle within the investigation area further includes weighting the road segments on which vehicles located within the investigation area are predicted to travel. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 17 , wherein selecting at least one vehicle within the investigation area further includes calculating a driving behavior of vehicles located in the investigation area. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the method further comprises determining a quantity of vehicles located within the investigation area to select, and 
 determining the quantity includes determining at least one of an event type of the first traffic event, an event type of the second traffic event, an event severity of the first traffic event, or an event severity of the second traffic event. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the method further comprises requesting data values from the at least one vehicle, and 
 the data values include location information of the at least one vehicle. 
 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 17 , wherein updating the combined affected area further includes predicting a propagation of the first and second traffic events. 
     
     
       24. A system for calculating traffic flow changes, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, 
 wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: 
 detecting a first traffic event and a second traffic event, wherein the first traffic event and the second traffic event occur contemporaneously; 
 calculating a first affected area of the first traffic event and a second affected area of the second traffic event; 
 determining an area of overlap where the first affected area overlaps with the second affected area; 
 comparing the area of overlap with a threshold area; and 
 when the area of overlap is greater than the threshold area, determining a combined affected area based on the first affected area and the second affected area. 
 
     
     
       25. A computer program product for calculating traffic flow changes, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to perform a method comprising:
 detecting a first traffic event and a second traffic event, wherein the first traffic event and the second traffic event occur contemporaneously; 
 determining a combined affected area of the first traffic event and the second traffic event; 
 determining an investigation area based on the combined affected area; 
 selecting at least one vehicle located within the investigation area; 
 calculating a change in traffic flow due to the first and second traffic events based on a comparison of a predicted traffic flow and a current traffic flow, wherein the current traffic flow is based on information received from the at least one vehicle; 
 updating the combined affected area based on the change in traffic flow; and 
 calculating an updated change in traffic flow based on the updated combined affected area when the updated combined affected area is larger than a predetermined threshold area.